The fight to restore Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon continues
There are plans to demolish the sport and music halls in 2025
Last updated 4th Sep 2024
As fans up and down the country hope to get tickets for the 'Oasis Live 25' tour next year, a campaign group in Swindon is raising their voice to save the Oasis Leisure Centre.
Back in November 2020 the Swindon Oasis closed its doors. Since then, campaigners have been urging Swindon Council and SevenCapital to restore the centre to its former glory.
Currently, many facilities will be lost, including the skate park, BMX track, football pitches, sports hall and concert hall will all be demolished.
Neil Robinson used the centre a lot when it was open and said he was "very sad" to see it go. He set up the 'Save Oasis Swindon' campaign:
"It's just not the right thing for Seven Capital and the council to do - to knock down a famous centre where the band got their name from, the same year that the band are performing their reunion tour."
It's thought that the band got their name as Liam Gallagher saw the Swindon Oasis Leisure Centre listed as a venue on an 'Inspiral Carpets' tour poster which was in his childhood bedroom that he shared with brother, Noel."
Mr Robinson continued to say:
"I feel like the centre puts our town on the map...the campaign has now entered a new dimension following this week's unprecedented announcement - we think now it's put our campaign back on the agenda again.
"The centre and hall is culturally important to Swindon, and it will be a terrible look for our town if they go ahead with this plan to demolish it and either not restore it or build a new one."
He also went on to say that he'd be "buzzing" if he was able to get a ticket for one of Oasis's shows next year.
So far, Oasis have announced 14 dates with shows in London, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin, starting in July 2025.